![]() The melancholy tune about a girl confessing her unplanned pregnancy to her father pushed the boundaries of pop lyrics for its time. ![]() It’s the rare jilted lover ballad that emcompasses so much more, including lingering pain from childhood, self-doubt and resolve. One of Madonna’s greatest ballads is also one of her most personal, finding the famously self-possessed pop icon embracing her vulnerabilities. Some boys kiss you, some boys hug you, but all boys (and girls) love “Material Girl.” The song that gave Madonna one of her infamous nicknames manages to giddily celebrate and criticize the superficial excess of our culture - all with an unforgettable staccato chorus that reminds us exactly whose world we are living in. It’s also one of her best early vocal performances: While her voice aches with unfulfilled desire, it’s still peppered with playfulness. One of the most musically mature tracks on her 1983 self-titled debut, “Borderline” became Madonna’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when released as a single in 1984. But her trip-hop-indebted spoken word ode to sadomasochism is alluring, mesmerizing and unforgettable. With a Public Enemy sample and a Lenny Kravitz co-writing credit, “Justify My Love” is an outlier in Madonna’s canon. Also: Check out the Billboard staff’s ranking of Madonna’s albums from least to most adored.
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